Soil Conservation Technician

Do you want to work for a premier conservation agency whose mission is to "help people help the land?" The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been working with farmers, ranchers, forest managers, non-governmental organizations, local and state governments, and other federal agencies to create and maintain healthy, productive landscapes. We need people who want to apply their education and experience to help ensure a healthy environment and productive agriculture.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Soil Conservation Technician works in the local field office with landowners to apply and maintain a number of conservation practices and reviews financial assistance requests under the federal and state agriculture programs. This is a developmental position with a full performance level of GS-7.

Gathers preliminary resource inventory data and information on the physical features of agricultural and other natural resource sites.

Provides technical support to the conservation planners in resource planning by utilizing applicable survey tools and planning software and assisting with data collection.

Computes and plots engineering notes, prepares field sketches and drawings, selects standard designs, modifying or adjusting them to site conditions within the limits of the engineering practice review and approval limits.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - Approximately 20% or less

Supervisory status

No

Promotion Potential07

Job family (Series)0458 Soil Conservation Technician

Requirements

HelpRequirements Conditions of Employment

U.S. Citizenship or U.S. National is required

Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.

A 1-year probationary or trial period may be required.

Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Entrance on duty is contingent upon completion of a pre-employment security investigation. The position may be subject to a Public Trust background investigation at the time of appointment, and may be subject to reinvestigation every five years thereafter. A favorable adjudication of the clearance or background investigation at the time of appointment and on reinvestigations is a condition of employment.

If you are newly hired, the documentation you present for purposes of completing the Department Homeland Security (DHS) Form I-9 on your entry-on-duty date will be verified through the DHS "E-VERIFY" system. Federal law requires the use of E-VERIFY to confirm the employment eligibility of all new hires. Under this system, the new hire is required to resolve any identified discrepancies as a condition of continued employment.

Have your salary sent to a financial institution of your choice by Direct Deposit/Electronic Funds Transfer.

Work requires regular and recurring physical exertion related to conservation work requiring walking through rough terrain, jumping ditches and furrows, or climbing steep banks and similar activities.

Work requires involves regular and recurring exposure to operating agricultural equipment including tractors, caterpillars and a wide variety of attached implements such as cultivators, discs, plows, etc. There may be exposure to snow and ice conditions, and herbicide and chemical spray operations requiring safety precautions. Protective gear and clothing such as a hard hat, boots and gloves may be necessary.

PLEASE NOTE: In the interest of filling these positions as efficiently as possible, we are requiring the following:

If called for an interview, applicants must be available to interview within 3 business days of being contacted.

If a tentative job offer is extended, selectee will have 2 business days in which to accept or decline.

Qualifications

Applicants must meet all eligibility and qualification requirements by the closing date of this vacancy announcement.

Minimum Qualification Requirement:

Specialized Experience for GS-05: Possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-4 level. Specialized experience is defined as experience gathering and compiling planning data on soil limitations, erosion, surface drainage, and sedimentation to make preliminary engineering surveys; assisting in the development of large area resource conservation plans; and working with landowners on the application and maintenance of conservation practices; OR

Education Substitution: Completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree (a) with major study in forestry, range management, agriculture, or a subject-matter field directly related to the position, or (b) that included at least 24 semester hours in any combination of courses such as forestry, agriculture, crop or plant science, range management or conservation, wildlife management, watershed management, soil science, natural resources (except marine fisheries and oceanography), outdoor recreation management, civil or forest engineering, or wildland fire science. No more than 6 semester hours in mathematics is creditable; OR

Combination of experience and education: Possess a combination of education and experience as described above which totals at least 100% when combined.

Specialized Experience for GS-06: Possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-05 level or higher, which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience at this level include, but are not limited to, advising landowners on the use of one or several single alternative practices such as nutrient management, roof runoff structures, contour cultivation, grassed waterways, and terracing; installing and maintaining soil and water conservation measures on farms, ranches, or agricultural land; performing surveying work, reducing notes and drafting specifications for various stabilization or diversion practices; and providing advice on merging conservation practices using established objectives.

Education Substitution: One half year of graduate education from an accredited college or university leading to a master's degree with a major course of study in agriculture, forestry, range management, or another subject-matter field directly related to the position; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of education and experience, as described above, which totals at least 100% when combined.

Specialized Experience for GS-07: Possess at least one year of specialized experience, equivalent to the Federal GS-06 level or higher, which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position.

Examples of specialized experience at this level include, but are not limited to, designing, installing and maintaining a variety of non-routine conservation measures on public and privately owned land including farms, parks, shoreline, dams and reservoir areas, forests, and/or wildlife habitats; advising property holders on the effectiveness of applying soil and water conservation practices; conducting basic research in support of conservation planning efforts; performing surveying work, reducing notes and drafting specifications for various stabilization or diversion practices; providing advice on merging conservation practices using established objectives; and developing and maintaining constructive relationships with clients, partners, and Conservation Districts. OR

Education Substitution: One full year of graduate education from an accredited college or university leading to a master's degree with a major course of study in agriculture, forestry, range management, or another subject-matter field directly related to the position; OR

Combination of Education and Experience: Possess a combination of education and experience, as described above, which totals at least 100% when combined.

Experience Note: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Education

You must submit a copy of your college transcripts or a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify all education requirements (i.e. substitution of education and/or basic education requirement). If a relevant course is not clearly qualifying (e.g. special topic, seminar, research, thesis, obscure or misleading course title, etc.), please submit an official course syllabi and/or detailed course description from the university/college for that particular course to ensure you are properly evaluated. Please note that qualifications determinations are based solely on the information submitted for each particular vacancy announcement.

You must document all requirements on every vacancy; we cannot use previous determinations as a basis for rating. All required information must be received by the closing date of this announcement, and non-submission of all required documents/documentation will result in non-consideration. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

This information must be received by the closing date of this announcement. Non-submission of these documents will result in non-consideration.

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications.

Applicants must, therefore, only report attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

Applicants can verify accreditation via this link

. All education claimed by applicants will be verified accordingly. Important: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. Click on this link for more information.

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